Finding the silver lining
by purple.phoenix17
Summary: San Francisco, October 2020. Centres around Chris as he learns to deal with the consequences of his past. This is not a Harry Potter crossover, though it's characters and ideas may be mentioned from time to time.
1. Profiles

Disclaimer: I do not owned Charmed.

**HALLIWELL FAMILY:**

PRUE HALLIWELL:

D.o.B - 28/10/1970.

Parents - Patricia Halliwell and Victor Bennett.

Species - Witch, Charmed One, Magical Guardian.

Powers - Telekinesis, Astral Projection, Glimmering (form of Teleportation), Sensing, Glamouring, Sensing,

Telepathic connection with charges and family members.

Charge - Chris Halliwell.

Occupation - Freelance Photographer in London, Magical Guardian.

ANDY TRUDEAU:

Species - Whitelighter.

Powers - Typical Whitelighter powers.

Charge - Chris Halliwell.

Occupation - Whitelighter, xxxx in London.

PIPER HALLIWELL-WYATT:

D.o.B - 7/8/1973.

Parents - Patricia Halliwell and Victor Bennett.

Husband - Leonardo Wyatt.

Children - Wyatt Mathew, Bradford Percy, Christopher Pearce Andrew, Prudence Melinda.

Species - Witch, Charmed One, Lady of the Lake.

Powers - Molecular Immobilization, Molecular Combustion, Ability to wield Excalibur.

Occupation - Owner of _P3_ and _Charmed_.

LEONARDO WYATT:

D.o.B - 6/5/1924.

Father - Christopher Wyatt.

Wife - Piper Halliwell.

Children - Wyatt Mathew, Bradford Percy, Christopher Pearce Andrew, Prudence Melinda.

Species - Human.

Occupation - Magic School Headmaster.

WYATT MATHEW HALLIWELL-WYATT:

D.o.B - 2/2/2003.

Parents - Piper Halliwell and Leonardo Wyatt.

Species - Whitelighter Witch hybrid.

Powers - Healing, Glamouring, Sensing, Orbing, Energy Balls, Telekinesis, Telekinetic Orbing, Minor Projection, Conjuration, Ability to wield Excalibur, Energy Blast.

Occupation - High School Student.

BRADFORD PERCY LOGAN:

D.o.B - 24/11/2003.

Father - Derek Logan (Deceased).

Foster Parents - Piper Halliwell and Leonardo Wyatt.

Species - Human Manticore Hybrid.

Powers - Shimmering, Supernatural strength.

Occupation - High School Student, Waiter at _Charmed_.

CHRISTOPHER PEARCE ANDREW DUPE'RE' HALLIWELL-WYATT:

D.o.B - 17/10/2004.

Parents - Piper Halliwell and Leonardo Wyatt.

God Parents - Elizabeth Dupe're' and Pearce Anderson (Both deceased).

Species - Elder Witch hybrid, Fire Elemental, Wizard.

Powers - Suppressed.

Occupation - High School Student, will be the owner of _Divinity_ and become a Whitelighter.

PRUDENCE MELINDA HALLIWELL-WYATT:

D.o.B - 18/10/2006.

Parents - Piper Halliwell and Leonardo Wyatt.

Species - Witch, Charmed Progeny.

Powers - Telekinesis, Astral Projection, Molecular Immobilization.

Occupation - Magic School student.

PHOEBE HALLIWELL-HEART:

D.o.B - 2/11/1975.

Parents - Patricia Halliwell and Victor Bennett

Husband - Cooper Heart.

Children - Penelope Laura, Patricia Charlotte and Premilla Grace.

Species - Witch, Charmed One, Empath.

Powers - Premonition, Levitation, Empathy, limited Telepathy.

Occupation - Psychologist, 'Ask Phoebe' Columnist for _The Bay Mirror_.

COOPER HEART:

Wife - Phoebe Halliwell.

Children - Penelope Laura, Patricia Charlotte and Premilla Grace.

Species - Cupid.

Powers - Teleportation, Time Travel, Empathy, etc...

Occupation - Cupid.

PENELOPE LAURA HALLIWELL-HEART:

D.o.B - 15/3/2007.

Parents - Phoebe Halliwell and Cooper Heart.

Species - Witch-Cupid Hybrid, Future Charmed One.

Powers - Telekinetic Hearting, Hearting, Premonition.

Occupation - Magic School student.

PATRICIA CHARLOTTE HALLIWELL-HEART:

D.o.B - 22/12/2008.

Parents - Phoebe Halliwell and Cooper Heart.

Species - Witch-Cupid Hybrid, Future Charmed One.

Powers - Telekinetic Hearting, Hearting, Molecular Immobilization.

Occupation - Magic School student.

PREMILLA GRACE HALLIWELL-HEART:

D.o.B - 24/5/2018.

Parents - Phoebe Halliwell and Cooper Heart.

Species - Witch-Cupid Hybrid, Future Charmed One.

Powers - Telekinetic Hearting, will receive Hearting and Telekinesis.

PAIGE HALLIWELL-MATHEWS:

D.o.B - 2/8/1977.

Parents - Patricia Halliwell and Sam Wilder.

Husband - Henry Mitchell.

Children - Mitchell Perry, Prunella Astrid and Paiton Helena.

Species - Whitelighter-Witch hybrid, Charmed One.

Powers - Telekinetic Orbing, Orbing, Healing, Glamouring, Sensing, Telepathic connection with charges, Hovering, Energy Balls.

Occupation - Magic School Deputy Headmistress, Whitelighter.

Notable Charge - Alissa Louise Montana.

HENRY MITCHELL:

Wife - Paige Halliwell-Mathews.

Children - Mitchell Perry, Prunella Astrid, Paiton Helena.

Species - Human.

Occupation - Gets promoted to Inspector.

MITCHELL PERRY HALLIWELL-MATHEWS:

D.o.B - 3/8/2005.

Parents - Paige Halliwell-Mathews and Henry Mitchell.

Species - Witch-Whitelighter Hybrid.

Powers - Telekinetic Orbing, Orbing, Energy Balls.

Occupation - High School Student.

PRUNELLA ASTRID HALLIWELL-MATHEWS:

D.o.B - 14/2/2007.

Parents - Paige Halliwell-Mathews and Henry Mitchell.

Species - Witch-Whitelighter Hybrid.

Powers - Telekinetic Orbing, Telekinesis, Telepathic connection with Paiton.

Occupation - Magic School Student.

PAITON HELENA HALLIWELL-MATHEWS:

D.o.B - 14/2/2007.

Parents - Paige Halliwell-Mathews and Henry Mitchell.

Species - Witch-Whitelighter Hybrid.

Powers - Orbing, Telekinetic Orbing, Telepathic connection with Paiton.

Occupation - Magic School Student.

**OTHER CHARACTERS:**

ELIZABETH DUPE'RE' (DECEASED):

D.o.B - 31/9/1977.

Husband - Pearce Anderson (Deceased).

God son - Chris Halliwell.

Species - Earth Elemental, Witch.

Powers - Earth Elemental, Telekinesis, Teleportation.

Occupation - Owner of _Divinity_. Was a popular restaurant and nightclub in London.

PEARCE ANDERSON (DECEASED):

D.o.B - 26/4/1952.

Wife - Elizabeth Dupe're' (Deceased).

God son - Chris Halliwell.

Species - Wizard.

Powers - Wizarding magic.

Occupation - Worked for the Ministry of Magic in Paris and later London.

KYLE BRODY :

Species - Whitelighter.

Powers - Typical Whitelighter Powers.

Charges - Halliwell family minus Chris.

Occupation - Whitelighter.

ALISSA LOUISE MONTANA:

D.o.B - 19/8/2004.

Parents - Louise and xxxx Montana (Deceased).

Uncle - Richard Montana.

Species - Witch.

Powers - Bound.

Occupation - High School student.

**SETTING:**

San Francisco, October 2020. Centres around Chris as he learns to deal with the consequences of his past. This is not a Harry Potter cross-over, though it's characters and ideas may be mentioned from time to time.


	2. Prologue

Disclaimer: I do not own Charmed, nor Harry Potter or any of it's characters.

**PROLOGUE**

_(ORIGINAL FUTURE: 19/12/2020)._

_BY ORDER OF THE MINISTER OF MAGIC_

_Dolores Jane Umbridge (High Inquisitor) has replaced _

_Abus Dumbledore as Head of Hogwarts School of _

_Witchcraft and Wizardry._

_The above is in accordance with Educational Decree_

_Number Twenty-eight._

_Signed: Cornelius Oswald Fudge, Minister for Magic._

_----_

"_Good evening Mr Mathews."_

"_And you Professor Umbridge." Chris responded in a falsely polite voice._

_Umbridge smiled sweetly. "Now, you are going to be writing some lines for me, Mr Mathews. I have a rather special quill you'll be using."_

_She handed him a long, thin black quill with an unusually sharp point._

"_I want you to write, I must not abuse power," she told him softly._

"_As you wish." Chris answered in the same voice, placing the quill on the paper and writing: _I must not abuse power.

_He ignored the sharp pain he felt as the quill tore through his flesh and thought how ironic it was. 'I must not abuse power. Wrong brother you stupid toad and what exactly are you doing here?'_

I must not abuse power.

_Chris wrote the words over and over again. The blood dripping from his right hand icreasing with each stroke._

I must not abuse power.

_Chris was feeling sick._

I must not abuse power.

_His hand felt numb._

I must not abuse power.

_Chris was nauseous._

I must not abuse power.

_He felt light-headed._

I must not abuse power.

_The numbness had reached his elbow._

I must not abuse power.

_His head was pounding._

I must not abuse power.

_His vision was blurring._

I must not abuse power.

_He could barely hold the quill._

I must not abuse power.

_His entire right arm like it was on fire._

I must not abuse power.

_He couldn't focus._

I must not abuse power.

_Sweat lined his forehead._

I must not abuse power.

_He had to gagged, but fought the urge to vomit._

I must not abuse power.

_His breath was restricted._

I must not abuse power.

_He was cold. Icy cold._

I must not abuse power.

_He couldn't see what he was writing anymore._

I must not abuse power.

_Couldn't breathe._

I must not abuse power.

_Couldn't move his arm._

_Couldn't see in front of him._

_Couldn't stop himself vomiting._

I must not abuse power.

_The quill clattered to the floor._

_He was cold._

_He was sick._

_His body was on fire._

I must not abuse power.

_Umbridge turned around, smiling sweetly._

_He stood up._

_His vision blurred._

_And he fell._

I must not abuse power.

"_Mr Mathews? Is something wrong?"_

_His eyes rolled back in his head._

_His breathe came in shallow gasps._

_He was dying._

I must not abuse power.

"_Mr Mathews!"_

_He couldn't hear._

_He couldn't see._

_He couldn't call for help._

I must not abuse power.

"_Minerva!"_

_He was unconscious._

_His heart was slowing._

_Blood flowed onto the floor._

I must not abuse power.

"_Pearce! Pearce!"_

_Someone was shaking him, but he didn't respond._

"_Pearce! Come on Pearce!"_

_He didn't wake up._

I must not abuse power.

"_What have you done Dolores?"_


	3. Ch 1: Repercussions

Disclaimer: I do not owner Charmed, nor any of it's characters.

** CHAPTER ONE: REPERCUSSIONS**

XXxxXXxxXX CHRIS XXxxXXxxXX

Groaning at the bright light streaming into his bedroom, Chris hastily covered his aching head with the green satin pillow and burrowed deaper under the covers. If he hadn't been feeling like someone was hammering his brain against the inside of his skull, the Elder-Witch probably would've wondered _why_ he seemed to be experiencing the worst of hang-overs when his pacifist half healed them faster than his Mother vanquished a lower level Demon or blew up a family member. 'God _bless_ The Powers That Be and their anti-hangover genes.'

Of course, it wasn't like he really had anything to complain about and he certainly _wasn't_ innocent. The Elder-Witch hadn't earnt the 'Playboy Prince' nickname for nothing, but right now...

XXxxXXxxXX PIPER XXxxXXxxXX

Sighing as she cut up fresh fruit for the family's breakfast, Piper wondered just _what_ she was supposed to do anymore. Seven teenagers resided in the extended Manor, four of which were her children and each seem adamant to outdo the others in everything they attempted. Things being of course girlfriends, boyfriends, magic, who got invited to the best parties, who managed to be the school Quarterback or Cheerleader. 'Normal teenager problems and issues,' she reminded herself. Then there was Chris.

While she could deal with whatever Wyatt, Brad and Melinda, not to mention her sisters, nephew and nieces, threw at her, Piper was well and trully _stumped_ when it came to Chris.

Chris caused more trouble, both magical and normal, than every one of his siblings and cousins put together. If he wasn't sick, the Elder-Witch was pushing the boundaries to breaking point (sometimes beyond) every chance he got. Expelled from his last two schools, nicknamed the 'Playboy Prince', trying everything from alcohol to cigarettes to...Piper didn't want to know what else. Knowing her youngest son's rebellious behaviour, it could be anything.

If he wasn't at a party, nightclub or out doing...whatever he did, Chris was just...

"_Errgh. Dammit!_ " Piper snapped, running her bleeding hand under cold water while cursing her stupidity for slicing herself in the first place. She was a _chef!_

XXxxXXxxXX CHRIS XXxxXXxxXX

_(ORIGINAL FUTURE: 16/10/2020)._

_Chris continued to march through the crowd. A crowd comprised of mortals, Whitelighters, Witches, Wizards, Magical creatures; all parting warily in fear of the Elder-Witch's 'not to be messed with' attitude. Possessing a demeanor which was both frightening and reassuring with the amount of power radiating from him, Chris walked down a lengthy corridor. He stood tall, proud and strong; demanding respect and attention as he entered a large, cathedral like room and strutted through the parting crowd._

_Dressed as what could only be described as a true warrior, the second Charmed Son was covered head to toe with blood, dirt, ash, slime and Demon guts. Three swords were sheathed to his back, Athames and Daggers concealed and visble while a bag strapped over the swords contained more potions and back-up spells than any-one would've thought possible._

_He came to a stop directly in front of a gold table filled with ten Elders. With his strong, powerful stance and stubborn Halliwell demeanor, the Elder-Witch looked trully frightening and no-one would've blamed the Elders if they simply Orbed out or unleashed their own fighting powers against the Fire Elemental._

"_I will not allow this." Chris stated in a venomous voice, crossing his arms._

"_That is not your decison Chris."_

_Chris shot the offending Elder a look which said, ' like hell it's not.'_

"_You are not above the Elders son."_

"_And _ you_ are not above the Alliance. There was only _one_ Elder on the main council, Gabrielle and she has been..._removed_ due to, um...extentuating circumstances."_

"_You, Christopher Halliwell, are a Witch and therefore bound by the rules which we, the council of Elder, have set."_

XXxxXXxxXX PIPER XXxxXXxxXX

Right now Piper was hastily adding the finishing touches to her magnificant breakfast, which, in all it's splendor appeared more a masquarade than anything else. A facade that matched the false smile and bright personality she'd fallen into the habit of using to cover the worry and fear she held over Chris's well being.

Grounding didn't work. Binding his powers was completely pointless seeing as he hadn't had any since he was twelve. Any sort of limitations and the Elder-Witch just psuhed them till they broke. They'd tried lecturing and experienced everything from tantrums to tears to disappearing acts lasting for weeks. Then they'd had to contend with dealing with _not too successfully_ everyone of Chris' dirty habits, which he still persisted were _in the past_. A past which seemed to be littered with enough secrets and lies to put even 'future Chris' to shame.

When Phoebe had failed to get through to Chris, they'd sent him to therapist after therapist which made absolutely no difference. He just refused to budge and remained tightlipped about whatever had happened to him as a small child. They'd never so much as found out _who_ had cursed him, though the Elder-Witch remainded adamant that they'd been 'dealt with'. Anything more and it was like trying to find water in a well which had been dry for four-hundred years.

Keeping her youngest son grounded and _not_ acting out was more time consuming and exhausting than any other 'Family Emergency', a.k.a Demon problem, she ever encountered. And they were losing..._badly_.

Her greatest fear was that one day Chris would step too far over the line and they'd never have the chance of reining in his reckless nature.

XXxxXXxxXX CHRIS XXxxXXxxXX

_(ORIGINAL FUTURE: 16/10/2020)._

"_Correction. I fight for what I believe in, _not_ for the 'Greater Good.' That bullshit is outdated, as are the Elders. Your time has passed, your views are out-dated and as of this minute you are being over-powered by the Alliance. We can no longer afford to be defensive against such _ruthless_ enemies_._"_

_There were a lot of shocked gasps and quite a few angry outbursts from the watching crowd as Chris said this._

"_That is not your decision."_

"_Like hell it's not!"_

"_One of the last Halliwells. Your Mother would be ashamed of the sons she rasised."_

_Chris' eyes flashed red with fire. "Excuse me?_

"_We have no evidence to prove that your _actions_ are any less..._malicious _than your brother's."_

"_Evil? Isn't that what you were always afraid of? Isn't that the reason you hurt and damaged me in ways a child should _never_ be traumatised. What you call 'sacrifice' I call murder. What you call 'for the Greater Good' I call cowardise and betrayal. What you claim is the 'right thing' I claim is the easy and vindictive way out. I _am not_ your saviour, I _am not_ your lap dog, I _am not_ going to take the blame every one of you lay on me every day. I _will not_ lay down and obide by your 'wishes and commands.' I _am_ my own Prince, I _am_ the Head of the Alliance, I _am_ your _sole hope_ for the future and if that means I have to do what _needs to be done_ to get my point across, then dammit! I _will_ go to the neccessary lengths." Chris turned around at this point and jumped up on the table the Elders were sitting behind. "The world has changed. The lines between good and evil have blurred. Where we once fought for the side of good, we now fight for what is right. They turned your backs on my family and hung us out to dry and _look_ at what it's cost us."_

XXxxXXxxXX WYATT XXxxXXxxXX

"Morning Mom." Wyatt called, snapping his Mother out of her reverie. It wasn't hard to know what wa son her mind. Or more importantly _who_. Chris was who and it annoyed the Twice Blessed to know end to see how his younger brother continually followed another set of rules entirely when everyone else would've been grounded without powers for a month with some of the stunts Chris had been caught pulling.

"Mm. Um...morning honey. How'd you sleep?"

"All right." The blonde Witch-Lighter answered vaguely, still sensing his Mother's mind was on her 'baby boy' currently slumbering as is he'd spent the night partying at any number of parties or clubs. _Which_, he reminded himself bitterly, Chris probably _had_.

XXxxXXxxXX CHRIS XXxxXXxxXX

"What it's cost us is any hope for the future. My own _fucking fault!_ " The Elder-Witch scolded himself, falling out of his mass of covers to land with a 'thud' against the hard wooden floor.

'Whoever had the brilliant idea of removing my carpet was _seriously_ deluded. _Oh_. That's right. It was me. Yet another stupid thing I've done.'

As Chris stumbled into the shower, he was coming to the ('_not_ so welcome') conclusion that his ('_not_ self-induced') migraine was getting worse.

'_If _that's at all possible. I'm beginning to get the idea that _someone_ or many someones _Up There_ are out to get me. _Ridiculous_. I know.'

"Stupid pacifists." He muttered angrily, turning the hot tap down so cool water was washing over his aching head. 'And if anything it's making it _worse_. This day is going to _SUCK!_ '

"Will it be black or blacker Mr. Halliwell?" Chris questioned out loud, holding up two identical black pairs of jeans. "I'm talking to myself, but I _think_ I'll go with black."

'Talking to yourself. _First sign of madness Christopher!_ Black's definately your colour though.' The voice in his head mocked.

"Damn straight it's the first sign of madness, but I'm _pretty sure_ I achieved that when I was like, _twelve_. Those god-forsaken end of the world dreams sure proved that.'

"And here I've always thought they were _peaceful_ and _beneficial_ dreams which _never_ left me snarky or anything.' He answered thought sarcastically.

"It doesn't _exist_ Chris! Your brother's not evil, Dad doesn't treat me like some stow-away Mum brough home, my family's alive and well _right downstairs_ and the Elders _aren't_ out to get me."

'But they _are_.' The Elder-Witch answered himself. 'Or they were. Gabrielle and her 'followers' sure proved that.'

"_Arseholes._"

'Fucking areseholes! I was _three-years-old!_ '

"_A three-year-old with the power to send the world into an apopocalypse is trully frightening._" Chris muttered, without even thinking about what he was saying.

XXxxXXxxXX PIPER XXxxXXxxXX

Piper looked up as Chris wandered sleepily into the room. If she didn't know better and the dark shadows under his eyes, pale complexion and avertion from all things even remotely bright, indicated she didn't, Piper would've banked _P3_ and _Charmed_ on the fact that her son had once _again_ been out all night at some club or party.

Her eyes followed him as he averted everyone's eyes, cutting swftly through to the coffee maker as though he'd never make it through the day without it. 'He probably _wouldn't_.' The second Charmed sister reminded herself.

"Feels life a dozen knifes forcing their way inside." Piper heard her youngest son muttered and took the statement as evidence for her earlier theory.

But that was _it!_ Today was going to be the day when she put a stop to her son's reckless behaviour once and for all.

"If I find you've been -"

XXxxXXxxXX CHRIS XXxxXXxxXX

Running a hand through his messy white blonde locks, Chris trudged bleary-eyed and tousle-haired into the Manor's expansive chef's kitchen. With his migraine increasing ten fold and been 'unallowed' to take anything which may have helped, Chris felt like he was wandering through a hazy fog. The hazy fog being the mushy mess he brain seemed to be in nowadays.

Then there was the ringing. A incessant dull ringing situated at the back of his mind which Chris took as some kind of warning bell. It was like there was already twice as many thoughts and memories running through his head, but someone just kept forcing more

in there.

"Feels like a dozen knives forcing their way inside." The Elder-Witch muttered, closing his eyes against the unnaturally bright lights and praying the constant lively chatter (which seemed like he was stuck in the middle of a rock concert where the band did nothing bu scream into their microphones while the crowd matched their noise level with equal _squealing_ enthusiasm) that was most of his extended family bickering, fighting and generally going ('_noisily_ ') about their morning routines.

"If I find you've been -"

XXxxXXxxXX PIPER XXxxXXxxXX

"What? No." Chris quickly answered his mother.

_Too_ quickly in Piper's opinion. "I don't want to hear excuses Chris and I'm sick of this attitude."

XXxxXXxxXX CHRIS XXxxXXxxXX

"What attitude?" The Elder-Witch questioned, pooring himself a coffee and trying to ignore the developing migraine.

He was so damn sick of having a constant headache. Never being able to sleep without an end of the world nightmare filled with lots of rememberable torture scenes courtesy of his all time favourite evil overlord. Then there was the fact he felt constant sick, sore and exhausted beyond reason.

' Why everyone's under the impression I'm hung-over when clearly -' Chris swayed slightly on his feet, losing his balance momentarily as a wave of dizzyness washed over him.

"You know very well what attitude young man. I'm sick and tired of -" Piper reached over and took the coffee mug from her son's hands, failing to notice the dizzy spell threatening to over-power him -"you staying out all hours. Going to parties, drinking, smoking. I've had enough Christopher. This has got to stop!"

"Enough of what? I haven't done anything." Chris snapped, snatching the coffee back and drinking it as if it'd magically take all his pain away. Both emotional and physical which no-one ever seemed to notice.

"That's exactly the problem Christopher. You won't...this has got to stop. I won't have you continually pursuing these activities."

"There's nothing _to_ stop Me're!"

"This is not your decision Christopher. Whether you like it or not something _is_ going to change."

"Like hell it's not." The Elder-Witch snapped, mimicing his responce from the memory.

"Christopher. No more coffee. You drink too much and -" Piper began, taking the mug back and pooring it's contents down the sink -"it's really not good for you."

"Like you care." The Elder-Witch snapped, starting to walk out of the kitchen and heading towards the front door.

"Oh course I care honey. I'm only doing what's best for you."

Laughing sceptically, Chris spun around to face his Mother; too quickly and reached out to grab the couch for support which went relatively unnoticed by his Mother.

"What's best?! How could you possibly know what's best for me? You don't know anything about me!"

"I am your Mother."

Chris snorted derisively. "_One_ of my mothers and _no_, you _don't_ know anything about me."

"That's not the issue here!"

"Then what is, huh?" Chris questioned, retreating into the the living area. "Am I that bad of a son that you can't possibly realise that there is something really, really wrong here?"

"Honey, don't make this harder than it already is."

"Harder? You wouldn't know what hard is Mother."

"Don't you walk away from me Christopher!" Piper called, making to stalk after her retreating son and causing him to halt at the front door with a venomous glare.

Turning around with a cocky smirk and quirked eyebrow, Chris stopped to face his

Mother with a crystal blue glare.

"Why not? It's what I'm good at, right? Walking away from my problems. Avoiding the issue. Say it Mother. Go on. I'm a disappointment. You can't figure out what to do with me anymore. You can't figure out how to help me. Well I don't need help from parents who live in some kind of idealistic fantasy."

"Christopher Pearce! " Leo scolded, walking over to intervene. "You will not talk to your Mother that way."

"Why not? It's the truth."

"In this family we do not -"

"That list is endless Dad. I mean, you were so damn selfish. Always lecturing me about how violence is not the answer when you yourself, took us on a couple of Elders when I was what? A few months old or so. Ever stopped to think that maybe your selfish actions are what turned them against us?"

XXxxXXxxXX PIPER XXxxXXxxXX

"Christopher. I do not -"

"Whatever Mum. I don't -"

"You will not whatever me young man." Piper snapped, reaching fourth and grabbing her son's right hand to stop him leaving. Her eyes widened, however at the white scar etched across his palm. '_I must not abuse power?_ Where on Earth did this come from?'

"What else is there to say? You've avoided the issue my whole life when the answer's right in front of your face. I was sent Prue for protection and it's not from the Underworld."

"Prue's your Guardian Chris. It's her -" Leo started, but was cut off again by his youngest son.

"Guardian's don't generally live on Earth, do they?"

"Prue's -"

"One of many. But what's she done? Prue's as blind as you are when it comes to what my 'problem' is. You should have told me. I deserved to know. But no-one's ever been able to see past their selfish desires because the pain. The emotional distress is just too damn hard to deal with. Well you wanna know what's hard? Having parents who grieve for you when you're right here. Standing right in front of them and wondering what the hell is happening to you! _Just look at what it's cost us_." Chris finished, storming out of the Manor.


	4. Ch 2: Broken Hearts, part one

Disclaimer: I don't owner Charmed, nor any of it's characters.

XXxxXXxxXX PIPER XXxxXXxxXX

Piper's breath caught in her throat, the world seemed to slow, the only sound was Chris' angry footsteps, a cold chill encased her heart as her knees buckled.

As she sunk to the ground, her facade breaking as hot tears streamed down her face. She vaguely felt someone's arms grasp her from behind, pulling her into a tender hug and trying to take her pain away. But all Piper could see were the small black haired boy who'd gone to spend the week with Elizabeth and Pearce and the white blonde teenager storming out of the house for the umpteenth time. Everything else...

"Where did it all go Leo? All that time?" She questioned, realising it was her husband's shoulder she'd been crying on. "What did we do wrong?"

"Nothing. We've done the best we can honey."

"No. I'm a terrible Mother. If I'd just..."

"Chris would've lost three parents that day. Not just two." Leo answered softly, rubbing his wife's back in soft circles. "Chris loves you and he _knows_ you're a wonderful Mother. Kind, loving, generous...We'll figure this out honey. Chris is only lost when there's no-one left willing to find him."

XXxxXXxxXX CHRIS XXxxXXxxXX

Taking a few deep breaths as he waiting impatiently in the elevator, Chris fidgeted absent-mindedly with the thick black leather bracelet residing on his left wrist. It was almost as though something was hurting, _burning_ him, the way he just wouldn't leave it alone.

The fight with his parents, still fresh in his mind, occupied his thoughts until the Elder-Witch suddenly found himself standing out the front of Bianca's apartment. He wasn't quite ready to go in yet though. The foreign emotions and thoughts (from his other self) seemed to be harder to suppress than usual and the terrible guilt at _knowing_ he'd hurt _both_ of his parents didn't nothing to help matters. The heart broken expression on his Mother's face was almost enough to make him turn around, right then and there, and drive all the way across town just to apologise. And he wanted to. He really, _really_ didn't want to be the person he was anymore, but something just kept...Something inside of him wouldn't let up. If the torrent of tumultuous emotions were any indication, the Elder-Witch was stepping ever so closer to the edge he could cross, but never come back from.

XXxxXXxxXX BIANCA XXxxXXxxXX

Giggling as her snuggle buddy nuzzled her neck, Bianca entwined her body through his. She could feel his hungry kisses, the passion and longing as Ethan dragged her under the sheets to continue what they'd been doing the night before.

So what if she was 'dating' Chris Halliwell? It was nothing more than a crafty seduction aimed at drawing the Elder-Witch away from his family and find _the key_ which would lead to the _holy grail_ as it'd come to be called in the Underworld.

She highly doubted Chris, or any of the Halliwells knew just how _priceless_ the key really was. Of course, if the almost non-existence of the thing was any indication, the Phoenix Assassin highly doubted they had any idea it even existed, but Chris was _different_. If her past slip-ups had taught her anything, it was, Chris Halliwell just _knew things_.

And it had always been her private opinion that the Elder-Witch knew quite a bit more about _everything _and packed quite a bit more power than even the Twice Blessed if he was ever to exercise it. Even if he'd never told his family, Bianca somehow knew Chris had _the key_ and kept it well away from prying eyes..._just in case_.

XXxxXXxxXX CHRIS XXxxXXxxXX

_(ORIGINAL FUTURE:17/10/2020)._

"_Oh...oh god..." Chris stuttered, the anger and hurt quickly disappearing as grief set in. _

_Grief and a hell of a lot of guilt. This was all his fault. This..._bloodbath_ had been his fault. If he hadn't have left...if he hadn't have been with Bianca...if he hadn't..._

_Closing his eyes, Chris turned away from the Phoenix Assassin, formerly known as his girlfriend Bianca, walked into the room; disrupting his devastating self-pity before he'd even really gotten started._

"_Ah..." Bianca began, perching herself on the bloodied floor where Chris was laying._

"_Piss off Binks."_

"_Chris..."_

_Sitting up straighter, the Elder-Witch fixated the Assassin Witch with a venomous stare, full of grief and raw anguish._

"_I never meant this to happen."_

"_Little late for switching sides. This is on your head."_

"_I didn't mean..."_

"_What did you _think_ was going to happen? He'd just ignore whatever you told him?" Chris questioned in disgust, fingering the crimson stained triquetra necklace._

"_I didn't have a choice!"_

"_You _always_ have a choice."_

"_He would've killed me!"_

"_Well I hope to god he kills me." The Elder-Witch answered coldly as he stood up to walk away._

"_Both my families are dead Binks. There's no-one left and it is _all_ your fucking fault! You betrayed me! Sold us out and...Milla was two Bianca. Two-years-old and this place...Magic School was...oh god..." Chris uttered, doubly over as everything came crashing down._

"_The Elders...the...everyone here...I left...I fucking left and now they're all..._dead _and it's on your head."_

_Bianca didn't even have the time to react..._

_Throwing the potion with deadly accuracy, Chris met his target before she even heard his final words. "This is over. Every damn thing!"_

XXxxXXxxXX BIANCA XXxxXXxxXX

Eyes shoot up as Chris' voice flittered through the apartment, Bianca felt her carefully thought out plan come crashing down around her.

"He has the _worse_ possible timing!" She muttered angrily, making to push David away but found herself being caught red handed with her hand in the proverbial cookie jar.

"Oh...oh god..." The Assassin heard her 'boyfriend' stutter and fought the desire to laugh at her hurt expression and choked voice.

'My god. He really does sound heartbroken. If this didn't _completely_ screw up my plan I'd boast about it.'

"Ah..."

Bianca watched as Chris stumbled backwards in shock, all the while thinking fast about exactly _how_ she was going to get out of this slip-up. All the others she'd been able to hastily explain away with fabricated excuses, believable lies or if worst came to worst, a spell or potion had been surprisingly easier than she'd been lead to believe.

'But then he _is_ the Powerless Progeny so what would anyone expect?'

"Chris...wait..."

XXxxXXxxXX CHRIS XXxxXXxxXX

"Oh...oh god..." Chris stuttered, the anger and hurt left over from the fight with his parents quickly disappearing. He paled visibly at the sight of Bianca making out with some random guy he didn't know.

Bianca whipped around, hastily covering herself back up and pushing the blonde haired male away from her.

"Ah..."

Chris stumbled backwards, feeling as though someone had driven an Athame right through his barely healed heart. It wasn't hard to figure out what had transpired. What Bianca had been doing and it felt as though someone had pierced his heart; sinking the blade deeper. Twisting, turning, cursing, until he just couldn't take it anymore.

"Chris...wait..." Bianca tried, pasting a false apologetic expression across her face.

Laughing in disbelief, Chris' eyes turned crystal blue as he peered into the face of Bianca; the girl he'd give his world to.

Bianca reached out a hand, intending to halt Chris in his hasty retreat, only to find the ice cold stare she received enough to freeze hell over. She may have been an Assassin, but knowing someone had that

"Wait? While you do this again and maybe get a little further this time? Or wait while you figure out how to brush this whole thing over?"

"No..."

"I'm not an idiot Binks."

"This isn't what it looks like."

"Isn't it?" Chris questioned, noting Bianca's betrayal. _Both_ from his past and present life.

"I never meant for this to happen."

"Little late for switching sides. This is on your head."

"I didn't mean..."

"What did you _think_ was going to happen? That he'd just ignore everything you told

him?"

"You've..."

"No. No matter what you say Bianca, this...us...it's over."

"You don't mean that." Bianca protested, feigning heart-break.

"Give me one reason why not?"

"I..."

"Have no excuse. Never underestimate a psychic's power."

Bianca paled visibly, sinking down to the ground as he breath caught in her throat. How long had he know? He could he or anyone else know? _He'd_ given her precautions. Made guarantees she would be _protected_. Protected against the Halliwell wrath and now...

"How long have I known? Only a week or so, but you know what? I just brushed it off. I mean, I never would've thought you'd sink this low."

"How?"

"Why do you want to know? Probably so next time you won't get caught."

"No..."

"Phoebe. I talk to my Aunt nearly every day. She's you know, Empathic, gets Premonitions and has enough Telepathy to realise that this relationship isn't a fairy tale." By now Chris had made it to the door, hand poised on the handle.

"I just have one question. Why did you continue this for so long if you knew, deep down that we just didn't have that...click?"

"No, I -"

"Don't deny it Bianca. We both know this isn't right for many, many reasons. We've been living out the life someone else wanted us to." Chris opened the door, starting to walk out.

"_This is over. Every damn thing!_ "

XXxxXXxxXX LEO XXxxXXxxXX

"Piper..." Leo began, attempting to comfort his distraught wife. "Chris will be ok. We'll figure this out.

"_How?_ How could be possibly figure this out? In case you haven't not, our son is stepping closer to that edge every day."

"I _know_ that honey, but -"

"But nothing Leo. We've tried _everything_ to help him! And all we've managed to do is push him further and further away."

"_Piper_..." The ex-Elder tried again, reaching out to comfort his wife.

"He's dating Bianca. _Bianca_ Leo!"

"Maybe she's -"

Eyes narrowing dangerously, a near-by vase blew up and Leo knew better than to contradict whatever his wife said next.

"That is _not_ 'meant to be' and you know it. She...she..._that_ bitch has done a lot more harm than merely seducing our fifteen-year-old son Leo."


	5. Ch 3: Broken Hearts, part two

XXxxXXxxXX CHRIS XXxxXXxxXX

_(ORIGINAL FUTURE: 26/10/2020)._

_Breaking down completely, Chris slumped to the ground as exhaustion, grief and sheer devastation took it's toll. Barely sixteen and he'd seen the horrors of the world. Lived through more traumas than many before him. His whole family...gone. Dead and it was his fault._

_The agony was almost unbearable. Everything just hurt so much and seemed too damn hard. He didn't even have Alissa anymore. He didn't have anyone anymore. All alone in the world and faced with an impossible task. Picking up the shattered remnants of his older brother's power trip and putting them ever so slowly back together._

"_**What the hell is so bad about your life that you think half the world's out to get you?"**_

_Chris could just about hear Alissa's voice right now. Their final words. 'Final..fight.' Even if the apocalypse wasn't drawing ever-so-closer, the Elder-Witch highly doubted he'd even have her as a friend right now. He'd lost that right before he ever really had it._

"_**You've been treated like a Prince your whole damn life! You have more money than one person should!" The memory of Alissa shouted, her words stabbing through Chris' heart.**_

"_**Don't you think it's about time you quit with this 'I'm a poor little Prince' attitude and realised that your life really isn't that bad?"**_

_**Rolling his eyes, the Elder-Witch laughed sceptically.**_

"_**Not that bad? What the hell would you know Lis? You're still pining whatever childish relationship we had. We were kids Lis."**_

"_**That doesn't...we...didn't 'us' mean anything to you?"**_

"_**Of course it did, but so does Binks."**_

_Alissa next words drove right through Chris' already shattered heart as they floated to the forefront of his memory. His reply...he knew all too well just how much he'd hurt her._

"_**What does she have that I haven't? Why do you push me away so hard and run right to her?"**_

"_**Truthfully?" Chris questioned, taking a deep breath.**_

"_**I'm not good enough. You deserve so much more than I could ever hope to be. I only bring you down."**_

'_Well I can hardly sink much lower now, can I?'_

XXxxXXxxXX ALISSA XXxxXXxxXX

"You're coming tonight, right Lis?" Dani questioned, flicking long blonde hair over her shoulder.

"Lis?" She tried again, waving a hand in front of her friend's face.

Starting, Alissa smiled apologetically. "Um...sorry, what?"

"Tonight. Ya wants that study group thing at Brad's house."

"Yeah. I'll be there." She answered vaguely, eyes still on Chris as he slammed his locker shut in frustration.

"Are you still with me?" Alissa heard Dani ask after a few minutes.

Shaking her head to clear the ever persistent questioning thoughts about Chris, the violet-haired girl answered, "yes. I'm with you. What were you saying?"

However, instead of running back through the gossip she'd been relaying, Alissa found Dani taking a different tack. "Why are you so preoccupied with Chris? He's a freak Lis and everyone knows his reputation's worse than Charlise Marcs."

"I'm not preoccupied!"

"Oh really?"

Feeling herself blush, Alissa grinned. "Ok. So maybe a little, but it's not how you think."

"Isn't it?" Dani retorted with a knowing smirk.

"No. Like you said, Chris is a screw-up."

XXxxXXxxXX CHRIS XXxxXXxxXX

_(ORIGINAL FUTURE: 2/12/2020)._

_**Rolling his eyes, the Elder-Witch laughed sceptically.**_

"_**Not that bad? What the hell would you know Lis? You're still pining whatever childish relationship we had. We were kids Lis."**_

"_**That doesn't...we...didn't 'us' mean anything to you?"**_

"_**Of course it did, but so does Binks."**_

_Alissa next words drove right through Chris' already shattered heart as they floated to the forefront of his memory. His reply...he knew all too well just how much he'd hurt her._

"_**What does she have that I haven't? Why do you push me away so hard and run right to her?"**_

"_**Truthfully?" Chris questioned, taking a deep breath.**_

"_**I'm not good enough. You deserve so much more than I could ever hope to be. I only bring you down."**_

'_Well I can hardly sink much lower now, can I?'_

XXxxXXxxXX ALISSA XXxxXXxxXX

"...and anyone who's anyone knows the 'Playboy Prince' will..."

"Yeah. Right." Alissa responded, taking Dani's words as she would a grain of salt.

Her mind, lost in contemplative thoughts about why Chris had changed so dramatically in the last two years.

For one, his once sparkling blue eyes which had always twinkled in mischief, seemed to have faded to a dull silvery-grey. His white blonde hair, more often than not hidden under a knitted black hat, appeared more white than actual blonde up closer. Then there was his pale skin, dark circles below his eyes, weight loss, depressing dress and appearance, constant attitude and withdrawal from everything he seemed to have loved so much.

"...this rumour going around that his parents, whoever they are, sent him to rehab over the summer. Obviously it hasn't done any good or Playboy wouldn't be quite the depressingly snarky Prince we really don't love..."

The same unanswered questions ran through her head. What had happened? Why had Chris changed? How were they supposed to help him when they didn't even know what the problem was?

'Maybe he's just like that."

"...kind of makes you wonder whether or not he was ever normal and by the way Brad tells it Playboy's biggest problem is apparently too much money. I mean, from what Wyatt Halliwell says, he's made out to be some teenaged millionaire who thinks the world's out to get him..."

'Bet it was all part of some competition and he never really cared.'

"...it seems like he's just some spoilt brat who doesn't know how good his life really is. Like, the only family I have is an Aunt who I really can't stand. All she ever does is work and if I ever want something it's no Dani. You're too young. Or, I can't have you wasting all your parents' money when there's your entire future to think of. Now, the Playboy Prince has all this money, apparently spends it like there's no tomorrow and couldn't care less about anyone else..."

"No! He doesn't! " Alissa suddenly but off her friend's speech, marching over to where Chris was standing. " Topher Pearce! What the hell is so bad about your life that you think half the world's out to get you?"

XXxxXXxxXX CHRIS XXxxXXxxXX

"What the hell is so bad about your life that you think half the world's out to get you?"

"Only half? Really Lis, my life is not the fucking fairy tale you seem to think it is!" Chris retorted, struggling to control his emotions in the wake of everything else which had happened to him that day.

Alissa had been his best friend for as long as he could remember and he understood they had their issues, but this was...Alissa had never been someone to lose control or act irrationally. That was what he always did.

"You've been treated like a Prince your whole damn life! You have more money than one person should!" Alissa shouted, her words stabbing right through Chris' heart for the lack of faith and understanding she seemed to have.

'Doesn't anyone realise something's wrong here?' The Elder-Witch pondered, swallowing hard as Alissa shunned his crystal blue eyes. Eyes filled with emotional pain and trauma he should not even remember.

"And have this whole happy family who thinks I'm the freak the stork dropped off on the doorstep."

"Don't you think it's about time you quit with this 'I'm a poor little Prince' attitude and realised that your life really isn't that bad?"

Chris rolled his eyes, laughing sceptically. "Not bad? What the hell would you know Lis? You're still pining whatever childish relationship we had. We were kids Lis."

"That doesn't...we...didn't 'us' mean anything to you?"

"Of course it did, but so did Binks. I probably deserved that, but you? You're much better Lis. You deserve a lot more than I could ever give you."

"No. You're -"

"Someone who's still really, really screwed up and will only bring you down. Stop doing this to yourself Lis. There'll never be an 'us' again because I am not good enough."

"Don't ever think that Chris."

"I only bring you down Lis."

XXxxXXxxXX ALISSA XXxxXXxxXX

"I only bring you down Lis." Alissa heard her ex-boyfriend mutter, walking away.

On one hand she felt her heart break at the statement. She just didn't understand why Chris could think he wasn't good enough when his greatest fault was his inability to keep his mouth shut.

'Was being the operative word.'

Of course, that was before he'd changed and even now, she couldn't figure out when it'd started. Sometimes the violet-haired girl wondered whether Chris had always been the way he was and had just hidden it better than he was now, or if something dramatic had changed him from the bright and bubbly child into the brooding, rebellious teenager he now was.

Then their was the part of her which took Dani's opinion.

'Why Chris thinks he was the right to broad and act like there's some great cloud hanging over his head when people have real problems.'

She remembered, for instance, Logan losing his Dad, meeting Dani after her parents had died and the death of her own Father. As far as she knew, the worst thing which had happened to Chris was his Godparents passing away.

Turns out she didn't know him as well as she thought she did.

XXxxXXxxXX CHRIS XXxxXXxxXX

_(ORIGINAL FUTURE: 19/10/2020)._

"_Look at what it's cost us." Wyatt; dirty blonde hair, cold grey eyes and demoralising 6'2'' powerful frame mocked._

"_Turning your back on everything they naively believed in. What would your Mothers think?"_

_Gagging on the blood accumulating in his mouth, Chris turned away in disgust. The whole thing...a set up, an illusion and he'd been to gullible, to naive to realise it was all a ploy._

_Wyatt had only ever wanted one thing...and sadly, mournfully actually, he'd gotten it. Ultimate power with the 'promise' of his baby brother standing strong by his side. He was so busy with Bianca, then wallowing in his self-pity that Chris never even realised Wyatt had been behind the whole thing. Playing on his weaknesses. Making him think and see things which weren't happening. There was no feeling which quite came close to the helplessness and debilitating insecurity he felt at that very moment._

"_Killing your own cousins, Aunts, Uncles...parents. You really are a disgrace to the family Christopher."_

"_I'm not the disgrace Wyatt." He whispered quietly, more to remind himself, in his grief, what he was fighting for._

_They weren't dead. They just...They couldn't be...It was Wyatt... All of it was Wyatt...Wyatt was the disgrace. Not him. He was a Halliwell._

"_I am a Halliwell."_

"_You are a Dupe're'." Wyatt corrected with a smirking; knowing it was one of his brother's strongest points of self doubt._

_He knew Chris still believed, deep down, that he just wasn't Halliwell or Wiccan enough to make a difference._

"_A shame. A disgrace. Someone who's never earned the right to use the Halliwell name."_

"_And Halliwells fight for what they believe in." Chris continued, speaking despite the agonising ability to do so. If the grief didn't do it the injuries sure made up for it._

_Wyatt had only allowed the Elder-Witch to be healed to the extent of 'almost non-life threatening._

"_You're the disgrace Wyatt. Halliwells don't turn on family members."_

"_Turns out you're not so 'high and mighty' after all." Wyatt continued as if his brother had never spoken._

"_I do not believe in this."_

_Smiling insanely and chilling Chris right to the bone, Wyatt stated in a firmly cold-hearted voice, "no matter. I was young and innocent once too Christopher. We'll change that soon enough."_

XXxxXXxxXX WYATT XXxxXXxxXX

"Chris? " Wyatt laughed, spying his depressing younger brother lost in his own thoughts. "No."

"Playboy's a pretty-boy freak who needs to learn his place."

"And he's hardly going to be able to take someone like you. I mean, he's a light-weigh who couldn't so much as..."

Laughing despite the strong instincts telling him not to, Wyatt suddenly found him self agreeing. "Yeah. All right then. What's Playboy gonna do anyway?"

"Not a good idea Wy." The Twice Blessed heard Logan muttered. "If Piper knew..."

"What Mom won't know won't hurt her."

When the half-Manticore gave him a warning look, Wyatt added, "relax, all right? I'm not going to hurt him. Just...rough him up a bit. Teach him his place without someone else doing it. Would you rather Thomas did it for me?"

"No." Logan answered and Wyatt could hear the reluctance in his tone. "Piper's still gone kill you when she finds out."

"Don't remind me."

XXxxXXxxXX CHRIS XXxxXXxxXX

_(ORIGINAL FUTURE: 19/10/2020)._

"_I'm not the disgrace Wyatt." He whispered quietly, more to remind himself, in his grief, what he was fighting for._

_They weren't dead. They just...They couldn't be...It was Wyatt... All of it was Wyatt...Wyatt was the disgrace. Not him. He was a Halliwell._

"_I am a Halliwell."_

"_You are a Dupe're'." Wyatt corrected with a smirking; knowing it was one of his brother's strongest points of self doubt._

_He knew Chris still believed, deap down, that he just wasn't Halliwell or Wiccan enough to make a difference._

"_A shame. A disgrace. Someone who's never earned the right to use the Halliwell name."_

"_And Halliwells fight for what they believe in." Chris continued, speaking despite the agonising ability to do so. If the grief didn't do it the injuries sure made up for it._

_Wyatt had only allowed the Elder-Witch to be healed to the extent of 'almost non-life threatening._

"_You're the disgrace Wyatt. Halliwells don't turn on family members."_

"_Turns out you're not so 'high and mighty' after all." Wyatt continued as if his brother had never spoken._

"_I do not believe in this."_

_Smiling insanely and chilling Chris right to the bone, Wyatt stated in a firmly cold-hearted voice, "no matter. I was young and innocent once too Christopher. We'll change that soon enough."_

XXxxXXxxXX LOGAN XXxxXXxxXX

As the small group made their way over to where Chris was standing, looking his usual dark clad brooding self, the half-Manticore felt himself torn between which brother to back.

On the one hand Chris had been his best friend since diapers, until he'd suddenly gone off the deap end that was.

And on the other not supporting Wyatt and Thomas would be social suicide and unlike the youngest Halliwell brother, he didn't have the 'one wrong move and I'll kick your ass' look down to a fine art.

Then there was Piper's severe overprotectiveness of the Elder-Witch and her wrath was worse than every other Halliwell put together.

XXxxXXxxXX CHRIS XXxxXXxxXX

"Look at what it's cost us." Wyatt mumbled, unintentionally mimicking the words of his past, which he didn't even know about. "Such a disgrace."

Closing his eyes at the sound of his brother's voice ringing across the car park, Chris fought the urge to turn around and just...

"Urgh! Dammit Wyatt!" The Elder-Witch shouted upon feeling himself being shoved roughly into the car behind him.

"What the hell is your problem Chris?" Wyatt questioned, gripping his younger brother by the collar.

"My...? My problem?!" Chris asked, falling to the ground as Wyatt continued to vent his frustrations.

Not that he could really blame him, but Chris just couldn't fight Wyatt. Couldn't fight back in any way and earned a cut lip, several bumps and bruises, a black eye and was lucky to escape his nose being broken.

"Know you have many, many problems Chris, but...seriously...what is so bad about your life? Why do Mum and Dad think you're such a disgrace?"

"You're the disgrace Wyatt. Halliwells don't turn on family members." Biting his bloodied lip, Chris forced his face into an impassive mask. One which wouldn't betray the guilt and unbelievable sorrow he felt at the thought of the pain he knew his actions had caused.

"You're not a Halliwell. _Dupe're'_ pretty boy."

Rolling his eyes, Chris muttered something incoherent before adding, "like you'd understand."

"Oh yeah? What do you call having the world resting on your shoulders then?" The Twice Blessed retorted, unable to fathom what was so bad about his brother's life that he appeared to walk a tight rope every day.

"I can't..." Chris began, stumbling backwards with a hurt look before regaining his composure so quickly it was like a switch had flicked.

"I couldn't possibly understand what the hell it feel like to be an a fucking ass whose biggest problem is whether or not to sleep with Charlise or Bianca. I mean, really. The worst thing that's ever happened to you is losing that goddamn shield which had the whole damn world praising your golden ass!" The Elder-Witch drawled, his eyes flashing scarlet for a second while his handsome features stretched into an arrogant smirk.

Wyatt shoved his brother again, his words cutting through him like a knife. How dare he? Chris didn't have to deal with the pressure instilled upon his shoulders as the Prophesied Twice Blessed One.

"You'd deal real well with the pressure too Chris." Chris heard him stated and somehow felt his brother's frustration at his own strong stance.

"Pressure? What the hell do you know about pressure?" The Elder-Witch questioned in disbelief, stepping forwards with silvery-blue eyes.

Eyes which shocked the Twice Blessed to the core.

"You've had half the goddamn world bowing down at your feet since before you were born. And what do I get? Money and issues. You don't know a damn thing about pressure Wyatt."

"I have the -"

"Weight of the world? Yeah, yeah. Been there, done that. Personally, I think I did a much better job than you could ever hope to achieve."

"Bianca's quite an achievement too Christine."

"Like you can talk." Chris retorted, kicking the blonde teenager backwards as he started walking away.

"What the hell do you see in that bitch?" Chris heard Wyatt call over his shoulder and spun around to land a powerful uppercut punch to the Twice Blessed's jaw.

"Bitch? Looks like we can agree on something after all." The Elder-Witch muttered, kicking roughly at the ground while he stalked away.

Chris never even took the time to notice his eldest brother reeling from the force he'd exerted.

...Yet she'd shattered it all over again.

"No matter. I was young and innocent once too Christopher. We'll change that soon enough."


	6. Ch 4: Broken Hearts, part three

**CHAPTER FOUR: SMASHING THE PIECES**

XXxxXXxxXX CHRIS XXxxXXxxXX

Closing his eyes, Chris Halliwell slid down to the floor, just willing everything to pass. To give him a break just that once and praying desperately for all thought and emotion to drift free of his mind. Sometimes it felt like a thousand needles being driven into his skull. It was any wonder he managed to function at all.

The days events whirlling through his mind as he gazed unseeing across the balcony towards the Golden Gate Bridge. First his parents, Bianca, Alissa and Wyatt.

Every- thing was so goddamn screwed. Then there were the memories taking over not only his dreams, but his waking hours. Every night a different dream. Every day a replay of a different memory, full of heart break and trauma. Everything just pushing him closer towards the edge.

The story of his life and Chris often wondered whether or not certain Higher Powers had a running bet going against his sanity. More often than not his dual memories had his brain feeling like mush.

'And everyone wonders why I can't use my powers? Why don't they try dreaming about the fucking end of the world night after night?'

Since he was fourteen, Chris had been under the impression the haunting image of his Mother burnt at the stake was the worst day of his life. Today proved he'd thought wrong.

Bianca's betrayal had been enough to shatter his heart into a million pieces, but the added stress and frustration of the days events were ever-so-slowly pushing him towards the edge.

'Why the hell doesn't anyone just understand?' He questioned, standing up making a spare of the moment decision to go wallow in self pity somewhere where he could drown his sorrows in something more than mineral water.

Preparing to drop the transport potion at his feet, Chris glanced at his appearance in the mirror. For a moment he wondered what his Mother would say when she saw his face, then decided he couldn't care less and disappeared in a puff of smoke just as Logan, Alissa, Dani and Wyatt walked through the front door.

XXxxXXxxXX ALISSA XXxxXXxxXX

"_Ow!_ " Alissa heard the blonde Halliwell in front of her protest and rolled her eyes in a very Chris-like way in response.

"That _hurt!_ "

"Well I'm sure your brother's face hurts more."

Snorting derisively, Logan threw over his shoulder while leading Dani back into the kitchen. "Right and the Pampered Prince doesn't have enough money to keep his pretty face in check."

"He's right." Wyatt stated cautiously. "Knocking Chris out is like finding the Holy Grail."

"It just _doesn't happen_."

"And if you don't keep your mouth shut I'll re-think whether or not to tell Piper. She will kill you."

Hearing Wyatt groan in responce, Alissa laughed quietly.

"Don't you think it's funny that Chris, being the arrogant like smart ass he is, is the _only one_ who's _not_ scared of Piper?"

"_No_. Chris is her _baby boy_." Logan mimicked Piper, handing Dani a bottle of sparkling mineral water.

"Say that again when Piper's around." Alissa found herself retorting, finishing cleaning up the Twice Blessed and taking taking the offered glass of coke. "Thanks Loge."

"Ok. So let me get this straight. You two -" swishing her golden hair, Dani pointed between Wyatt and the half-Manticore -"are foster brothers and Chris is...?"

"Their _younger brother_." Alissa stated firmly before either boy could say something to the contrary.

"_No_. Impossible."

"We ask ourselves that every day. If Mom was so attached to the little creep..." Wyatt muttered, drawing a hand clean across his throat.

"_Wyatt Mathew Halliwell!_ "

XXxxXXxxXX CHRIS XXxxXXxxXX

_(ORIGINAL FUTURE: 25/10/2020)._

"_Long time no see Dad." Chris stated coldly, eyes flashing silver. "Come to 'reprimand' me for exercising such 'poor' and 'xxxx' judgement which cost the lives of hundreds of people, including several Elders._

"_Chris. No. You're too young to be fully accountable."_

"_But in your heart you know it was my fault and my fault only. If only I hadn't dated my assassin or pissed L.E.W off so much he decided a nice healthy dose of physical and mental torture to go with the emotional trauma would be a wonderful birthday present."_

"_Christopher Pearce! Don't you dare hand over the blame to your brother."_

"_Oh no. Golden assed little Artie would never too something so...evil." The Elder-Witch answered, sarcasm lacing his tone to watch the disbelieving eye-roll he exercised._

"_Ok, well if you haven't come to 'reprimand' me than what are you doing here?"_

"_I came to see you."_

"_Oh yeah? Just thought you'd pop on down from Elder land to see your son for his birthday? What's the matter? Letter got lost in the post? Couldn't find an owl up their in heaven. Or, better yet, you're the golden robed pacifist ass sent to butter me up for the little interrogation later?"_

"_No. I wanted to see you. I thought you might -"_

"_You thought what dad? That after everything that's happened I'd just welcome you with open arms? Pretend every-thing's all right? That you never abandoned us? Never left us alone to deal? I don't need you and even if I did you wouldn't be there. The past few days have taught us that much."_

XXxxXXxxXX WYATT XXxxXXxxXX

"_Wyatt Mathew Halliwell!_ " Piper snapped, making her presence known as she marched into the kitchen. "Don't you _ever_ fight your brother again!"

Cowering at the sound of his Mother's voice, Wyatt felt as though the temperature in the kitchen had just dropped ten degrees.

"And if I _ever_ hear you call him a disgrace you will _not_ be leaving this house for many, _many_ years to come! Your brother is _every inch_ a Halliwell, probably more so than everyone else. You are _never_ to use his...don't you ever treat Christopher like that again."

Sighing at the hasty end to his Mother's sentence, Wyatt contemplated whether or not it was worth making any kind of response. His Mother's temper was not something to be tested, _especially_ when it came to Chris.

"I don't want to hear excuses Wyatt. This day's been long enough as it is."

"No thanks to Chris."

"_Wyatt_." His Mother warned.

"Well he was the one who started a shouting match at breakfast and there's no two guesses for what that little 'discussion'."

"Grounded. You're grounded Wyatt."

"_W - what?!_ No!"

"No buts Wyatt. We never resort to physical punishment, _especially_ against family members."

"All right for Chris though."

"_No_. It is not all right for your brother, but he wasn't the one who started that little encounter now, was he?"

"Well if he's such a perfect little angel then why is he 'out'? Huh Mother? Why's your little _baby boy_ out making a prat of him, but living up to his 'Playboy Prince' reputation _ever_ so well?"

If looks could kill, Halliwell Manor would've just been burnt to the ground and the Twice Blessed revelled in the fact that his Mother's wrath was safely transferred to his younger brother.

XXxxXXxxXX CHRIS XXxxXXxxXX

_(ORIGINAL FUTURE: 25/10/2020)._

"_Chris..." Leo tried, reaching out a hand._

"_It's Pearce. And don't touch me. You always were a crappy father and I don't see that changing."_

"_Bud -"_

"_I'M NOT YOUR BUD!"_

"_Please Chris."_

"_No Leo. You don't get to do this. I don't need you in my life, I don't want you in my life. Andy and Coop are all I've ever needed. They were there for me when my father couldn't make it to basketball. They took me on father son days. They played catch with me. They've always been there for me. Or they were. Where have you been?"_

"_I - I - I'm sorry."_

"_Yeah right. You barely ever come to heal me. When those Darklighters shot me in the arm, you healed me and then left. You left me!"_

"_Your Aunt -"_

"_Who I wasn't supposed to be seeing."_

"_She cares Chris. So do I."_

"_Caring? Is that what you call it? So when I was burnt at the stake, that was caring?" Chris questioned in disbelief, choosing to ignore his Father's ignorance when it came to his family's deaths._

"_I couldn't -"_

"_Do anything? Now why doesn't that surprise me? I should've died and you didn't bother to do anything."_

"_If I'd known -"_

"_You never do. Mum, like everyone else has died to save me and you never even noticed." Chris snapped, wiping a stray tear angrily._

"_Of course I'd have -"_

XXxxXXxxXX LOGAN XXxxXXxxXX

"Oooh, your Mom is _scary_." The half-Manticore heard Danielle whisper softly to Wyatt. "I would not like to be your brother right now."

Hearing Wyatt snort at the statement, Logan grinned at the thought of Chris and Piper going head-to-head. "I'd pay to see that one. Piper Halliwell, with looks which most definately kill against the Playboy Prince, who's about as innocent as he is 'bright and bubbly'?"

"My bet's on Mom."

Shaking her head, Alissa laughed despite the sudden urge telling her not to. "I wouldn't be so sure. Didn't Piper buy him a _Porsche_ for his birthday?"

XXxxXXxxXX CHRIS XXxxXXxxXX

"_Yeah right. Tell me, why are you here? Come to keep me in line? Tell me to keep my mouth shut and be a good little boy?"_

"_Your mother -"_

"_Don't bring her into this. You weren't there. You didn't know. You didn't care. And don't tell me there was nothing you could do. Because that's a lie. But if it was Wyatt."_

"_This isn't about Wyatt Ch -"_

"_This has everything to do with Wyatt. Who do you think set us up? Sent them after us. But you were too busy seeing the golden boy to notice your precious Twice-Blessed is just as fucked up as the rest of us!"_

XXxxXXxxXX ANDY XXxxXXxxXX

"Piper, maybe we should -"

"_No!_ " The chocolate haired Charmed One cut in dangerously, pushing past the Whitelighter in search of her son. "This stops _now!_ "

'Jeez, I was just saying.' He pondered, knowing Piper was likely to Freeze the room right before she blew him up for saying a word against Chris.

In reality, he reached out to grab her arm gently. "Piper -"

"_No!_ My son Andy. My solution."

Making a swift decision, Andy turned to face Piper directly. "Look Piper, I _understand_ -"

"No Andy. I don't think you do. I don't think _any_ of us do. What - _what_ are we supposed to do? I just...I don't know anymore..."

Having know the woman slowly breaking down in front of him, Andy pulled her into a brief hug. "I know Piper. We all do, but -" his eyes darted to the white blonde teenager sneaking up the stairs with some red haired he would've bet his immortal life on, _wasn't_ aware her young male accompaniment was definately underage -"_Freeze!_ "

XXxxXXxxXX PIPER XXxxXXxxXX

"W - what?" Piper questioned, Freezing the room while her eyes darted wildly around to pin her youngest son in place which would've curdled the proverbial milk into butter. "_Hold it!_ "

She could see (not that she was revelling in her remarkable ability to keep people stationary with a single look) Chris' face slipping into a guilty expression as he ever-so-slowly turned around to face them.

"_Christopher Pearce!_ " Piper called, marching towards the Elder-Witch with a purposely stride and deadly expression which lesser men would've cowered under. "You are coming home..._right...NOW!_ "

XXxxXXxxXX CHRIS XXxxXXxxXX

_(ORIGINAL FUTURE: 25/10/2020)._

"_Christopher Pearce! "_

"_Don't Christopher Pearce me. You were there for everyone else. For him, for half the frickin' world and still, you never noticed the heir to Excallibur is a twisted, evil coward."_

"_My son isn't evil."_

"_Oh really, that hasn't registered up there yet? What's the matter? Won't get off your high perch and take a look at the real world? You can hate me for saying this, but deep down, you know I'm right. That Me're was right."_

"_Your mother wouldn't -"_

"_Oh, I think she would and unlike you, she wasn't blind. Yes she loved him, she still does. So do I. But you. You've never done a goddamn thing. A GODDAMN THING!"_

"_I've had enough of this Christopher. You will not speak to me like that. I am your father."_

"_Biologically only."_

"_Your brother is not evil, he's detined for great things."_

"_And I'm not? I'm the one with the Guardian. I'm the Destined Son."_

"_Christopher Pearce! "_

"_That's it! Get out of my face. I don't want you and I don't need you. I had a family and you're weren't part of it. You lost that right the day you went up there. So go join your little Elder buddies and remember, one day you will know I wasn't lying. One day Wyatt will make his allegiances known and it won't be as a Halliwell. Or the Twice-Blessed and definately not as the most powerful good Witch."_

_And Chris turned on his heal and stormed out of the Great Hall leaving one very hurt Leo Wyatt and several hundred confused, but clearly shocked students._

_- This is over! Every damn thing! Now stay the fuck out of my life! -_

XXxxXXxxXX CHRIS XXxxXXxxXX

Chris was half-way up the staircase with his foot poised above the next step when Piper cleared her throat, signalling the end of his failed escape attempt from her clutches.

Sighing, the Elder-Witch glanced into the living area to full of teenagers. If he hadn't been in such a crappy mood, he may have actually cared what his siblings, cousins, along with Alissa and her friends, not to mention a few others who Chris didn't take enough notice to recognise.

"_Christopher!_ "

"Ah..."

XXxxXXxxXX ALISSA XXxxXXxxXX

Whipping her head around at the sound of Chris' voice, Alissa took in the sight of Piper marching towards the main staircase where she'd undoubtedly caught her youngest son doing something he shouldn't have been. Which seemed to be just about every day now. It was like Chris had just _snapped_ and the Halliwell she knew and loved was long gone.

'He's like a _completely_ different person. Where's the Topher Pearce I knew and loved, huh? What on Earth changed you so dramatically from the sweet, kind hearted boy who made me cookies into a rebellious teenager thinking the whole world was out to get him?'

XXxxXXxxXX PIPER XXxxXXxxXX

"Are you planning on telling me what you were doing?" She questioned, exhausted already with her wayward son's erractic behaviour.

"I was out." He answered vaguely and Piper noted he rolled his eyes in a bored manner.

"Is that...? Have you been drinking Christopher?" Piper questioned, marching towards the stairs where her white blonde teenaged son was standing as though caught with his hand in the proverbial cookie jar. For her son did, on closer inspection, have the lingering smell of tobacco and alcohol on his breath and clothes.

"Isn't that what 'going out' generally stands for?" Chris remarked, starting to retreat up the main staircase and carefully avoiding her eyes.

"Don't be smart with me young man!"

"Isn't that like telling L.E.W to sit down a be a good little boy? _No more terrorising the world Lew. And if I hear you've been physically, mentally or emotionally torturing your brother again I won't be looking quite so 'dead and out of the way' anymore!_ " Chris answered, mimicing his Mother's voice.

XXxxXXxxXX CHRIS XXxxXXxxXX

_(ORIGINAL FUTURE: 25/10/2020)._

_Fighting the burning tears, Chris ran down the long drive. The conversation with his father still fresh in his mind. _

'_Why don't you love me dad?'_

'_Except me?'_

'_Trust me?'_

'_Be my dad?'_

'_I just can't take it anymore. Me're's dead, Wyatt's gone.'_

"_They're all fucking gone! And it's my own damn fault."_

'_My big brother. Lost to the power that's corrupted him. It's just not fair.' _

'_What did I ever do?' _

'_What did we ever do?'_

'_I can't.'_

'_I just can't.'_

'_It's just too hard.' _

'_Too fucking hard!'_

_Chris reached Hogmeade, tears falling freely as he sprinted down the street. He couldn't take the pain, couldn't take the memories threatening to surface. It was just all too much. _

_Too hard. _

_Too painful. _

_So he ran. _

_When the memories surfaced he just kept running. _

_Running from the memories. _

_His thoughts. _

_His guilt. _

_So much guilt. _

'_If it wasn't for me, if I wasn't caught, Me're would still be here. Me're would be alive. Me're...And none of this would've ever happened.' _

XXxxXXxxXX PIPER XXxxXXxxXX

"I don't particularly enjoy being responsible for everyone's deaths."

"You are _not_ nor have you _ever_ been responsible for their deaths." Piper stated firmly, thinking her son was referring to Pearce and Elizabeth.

"_Right_. So next time _Leo_ comes to my school and starts 'persuading' me to see the 'truth', I'll just hold my tongue and _remember_ what you saying I'm _not_ responsible when everyone knows I clearly was. I didn't pull the trigger but I sure as hell loaded the gun!"

What Chris meant by that statement, Piper didn't even want to think about.

'How on Earth can a three-year-old be responsible for the death of his godparents? He was an innocent child!'

XXxxXXxxXX CHRIS XXxxXXxxXX

_(ORIGINAL FUTURE: 24/10/2020)._

_Chris awoke to find himself laying in some dingy alley-way. His head was throbbing fit to burst and he had no recallection of the past week, but what he did know was he had to get the hell out of there before someone found him._

_That was if he could move. Or walk. Run. Even blinking the blood from his eyes was difficult. But the pain wasn't what bothered him. The fact that his body felt like someone had thrown him off the Golden Gate Bridge and hit him with a car at sixty miles an hour, wasn't what concerned him at that point._

_He could deal with the pain._

_He could live with the injuries he'd sustained because he was a survivor._

_A frickin' surviver who'd probably been tortured to within an inch of death in the days he had no memory of._

_What he couldn't handle was the smell._

_The gut-wrenching, body rotting odour smell that assulted his senses and gave him the over-whelming need to throw up._

_Closing his eyes in concentration, Chris willed the over-whelming pain away so he could think with a clear head._

XXxxXXxxXX LOGAN XXxxXXxxXX

"Leo? Since when does Chris call Leo, _Leo?_ " The half-Manticore asked, looking between Wyatt, Melinda and Alissa.

Alissa shrugged in responce, reaching the point of not caring about Chris anymore.

"It doesn't make any sense." The half-Manticore stated and in truth, he really didn't believe anyone understood what went through the Elder-Witch's head at any given time.

"When does _anything_ make sense with Chris Loge? He has more issues than a centipede has legs and switches moods quicker than a mental health patient on L.S.D. I just..._don't_ really care anymore."

"What was that about a gun?"

"Has Chris killed someone?" Dani asked innocently.

"Probably." Wyatt, Alissa and Logan all answered together.

XXxxXXxxXX CHRIS XXxxXXxxXX

_(ORIGINAL FUTURE: 25/10/2020)._

_Chris broke down, sobbing hysterically, but he kept running. _

_When he twisted his ankle, he kept running. _

_When the icy cold bit at his exposed skin, he kept running. _

_**He could feel the flames penetrating his body. **_

_**The agony, the unbareable pain and no way out. **_

_**He felt trapped, the smoke was too much. **_

_**He couldn't breath.**_

_**Couldn't hear his Mother. **_

_**Couldn't find his voice. **_

_**For he was stuck.**_

_**Stuck burning at the stake. **_

_**Burning for his guilt. **_

_**Burning for his mistake.**_

_**Burning for his family. **_

_**But the burning didn't stop the pain.**_

_The burning was inside, deep inside and he was trapped. _

_Locked inside his own mind. _

_Reliving the memories. _

_Reliving that fateful moment when he knew, he just knew, nothing would ever be the same again. _

_**No longer could they keep the darkness at bay.**_

_**No longer could they save Wyatt.**_

_**Save him from his self.**_

_**Never again would he see his family.**_

_**Never get to see 'Lissa.**_

_**Never would he make his father proud. Earn a place in his heart. **_

_**For he was burning. **_

_**Dying. **_

_**And the pain. **_

_**The pain just wouldn't go away. **_

_**There was no way out. **_

_**No light at the end of the tunnel. **_

_**Just darkness. **_

_**Emptiness. **_

_And he was alone. _

_All alone. _

_He was numb, but the numbness was better than the pain. Anything was better than the pain._

_He wasn't aware of stopping._

_Wasn't aware of the debilitating temperatures._

_Wasn't aware of the dark presense around him._

_He just wasn't aware._

_He was lost._

_Suspended in misery._

_And he just couldn't take it. _

_He'd been so strong. _

_He'd kept his promise. _

_Kept his mother's promise._

_But he couldn't do it any longer._

_He felt so alone. _

_So isolated. _

_So helpless._

XXxxXXxxXX PIPER XXxxXXxxXX

"And I couldn't be prouder of you honey, but -"

"When are you going to realise I'm not a little kid anymore?" She heard Chris cut in and noticed her son was continually massaging his temples.

The concerned Mother could just about tell when he turned to face her that his head was throbbing fit to burst, but was under the impression it'd been self-induced rather than a consequence from his past life.

"When you grow up and starting acting like an adult, you'll be treated as such." Piper answered forcefully, eying her son in a way which _had_ made not only Demons crumble, but family members too.

'Never works on Chris though. Must figure out how he does it. Probably the same way he's concealed his inner pain and torment. He shouldn't _have to be_ a survivor anymore. I just want my happy, bright anf bubbly son back.'

"So in the mean time I'll just be babied because I'm some crazy freak who's too stupid to tell _someone_ that he's having more than just nightmares or delusions? I ended up in the frickin' bay! Thrown right threw a window and it took them a whole _ten minutes_ to realise that _oh_, that's right. Chris is the powerless progeny and can't Orb."

Sighing, Piper stared at her son in helplessness. She was stumped. What could she possibly do to help him when no-one even had the slightest inkling as to what was wrong?

XXxxXXxxXX CHRIS XXxxXXxxXX

_(ORIGINAL FUTURE: 25/10/2020)._

_He'd gone back to school. _

_Taken up his place in the Alliance. _

_Kept the book safe. _

_Kept hidden. _

_Kept his promise to his mother. _

_He said we wouldn't give up, but he just couldn't do it any longer. _

_Couldn't move past the pain._

_Couldn't save his brother._

_Couldn't make his father respect him. _

_Sixteen-years-old and he was giving up. _

_Leaving the fate of the world to someone else. _

_Giving up his destiny._

_The Halliwell legacy._

_Because he just couldn't do it any longer._

_He was numb._

_Numb from the pain._

_Numb from the cold._

_And numb to the world._

_Just completely, utterly numb._

_He never noticed the Darklighters._

_Never felt the arrows._

_Never noticed the poison._

_And never called for help. _

_He was giving up. _

_He welcomed the darkness._


	7. Ch 5: Opening the wounds

XXxxXXxxXX PIPER XXxxXXxxXX

"Christopher. Don't lay this blame on your aunts."

"No. I'm laying this right on you Me're. You were the one who just can't see what's right in front of your face!" Chris snapped, his personality, temperament and whole demeanour shifting like someone had just pulled a switch.

"You left me! You abandoned me! I called you, I screamed for everyone for months, but no-one came! I was three-years-old and you...did you even bother to look?"

XXxxXXxxXX CHRIS XXxxXXxxXX

(CHANGED FUTURE: 2008).

Chris started to cry, he'd had enough. The strange man who'd been so kind, so loving

was scarring him and he wanted it to stop.

"TUE!" He cried desperately in his three-tear-old voice. He had no idea how long he'd been there or what had happened to Pearce and Elizabeth. No-one came and all he wanted was to go home.

"TUE!"

"She won't hear you hear boy, no-one can hear you here."

His lip trembling, Chris called out again. "TUE! HELP ME TUE!"

The stranger laughed, a cold penetrating laugh that filled the dark cavern Chris was

imprisoned in.

Chris started to cry, he didn't want the bad man to hurt him. The strange man who'd

been his friend, who'd cared for him since he was little.

Fifteen-year-old Chris Halliwell shifted uncomfortably from his position near the top of the stairs, sweating uncontrollably and wincing visibly from the real pain his dream was causing. Blood soaked through his dark clothes, creating a sickening reminder of what had been done to him.

No-one, especially not a three-year-old child deserved to witness, experience and be forced to live with the emotional, not to mention physical effects of whoever had the gall to curse him in the first place.

XXxxXXxxXX PIPER XXxxXXxxXX

Feeling her heart break at the very thought, Piper was speechless for several moments. If she hadn't been so concerned about what had possessed her son to voice, even think about the idea in the first place, she would've been a lot worse than just shell shocked. They had looked. Searched endlessly...for months. They had done everything within their power to retrieve Chris, but nothing...nothing worked. No leads, no evidence, no possible motive and no way to help the missing three-year-old. It'd been like he'd just vanished off the face of the Earth. "Oh course honey. We would never -"

"But yet, you did. How am I supposed to trust you when you don't even trust me?"

Piper frowned in confusion. She couldn't remember saying or thinking anything along the lines of trusting and as far as she knew Chris didn't seem to have trust issues. 'Guess I've failed on that front also. Oh god...I'm a horrible Mother. I mean, what kind of Mother doesn't realise something's wrong? How did it get this far when we're still only just figuring everything out?' "Of course I trust you Christopher." She tried, feeling as though it was a greater stab in the dark than usual.

XXxxXXxxXX CHRIS XXxxXXxxXX

(CHANGED FUTURE: 2008).

Falling to the ground, Chris bent over, struggling for air, fighting to breathe. It hurt...everything hurt so much and there was no Tue to make it better. For Tue always took the pain away.

"Do you remember when I first met you Chris?" The stranger questioned, staring sadly at the damaged black haired child.

Chris shook his head, he didn't remember. He'd just always known him. Everyone had

known him.

"It was right after you were born. And you had just saved your big little brother."

"No..." The small Elder-Witch whimpered as he scuttled back against the cavern wall, cowering behind his wavering Phoenix Shield.

Twitching uncontrollably, Chris took a few steps downwards. Sweat mingled with the blood seeping over his distressed body, as the temperature rose to boiling point and his suppressed powers were unwittingly released.

The stranger advanced, summoning his Athame again.

Chris cowered against the floor.

He was so scared, the bad man had already hurt him. Hurt him to much and he was scared. He just wanted Tue, he wanted his Guardian. Tue always made it better. But Tue wasn't coming and he was all alone. The stranger loomed closer, taking sick pleasure in his continued torment.

"She can't help you, no-one can help you now Christopher."

'Christopher?' No wondered he hated his full name when anyone other than his mother used it.'

"Like hell you do. You knowing what's best for me is like Wyatt going all I come in peace." Chris finished with a bitter smirk before adding, "rancourous prat."

No-one seemed to noticed the nausea expression the Elder-Witch just couldn't get off his face. Was it any wonder he never could think with a clear head?

XXxxXXxxXX WYATT XXxxXXxxXX

The Twice Blessed felt all eyes on him at this point.

'I come in peace? What the hell is that supposed to mean?'

He was the Twice Blessed.

Most powerful good Witch to have ever been born.

Part Whitelighter, rid the world of evil on a daily basis, saved innocents more often than he believed anyone else in his extended did.

If he was entirely honest with himself, Wyatt well and truly believed The Powers That Be would be hard out to find someone else who did a better job than he did.

"Rancourous prat?" He could just hear Chris mutter, followed by Dani's question, "what does rancor - oh, what it was, even mean? "

"Watcha looking at me for?" Logan asked and it took a few moments for Wyatt to realise Alissa was starring questioningly in their direction.

"Well don't ask me. Your walking, talking Dictionary's turned his brain into a deranged mush and sadly, there's no replacement."

"Give your brother a break Wyatt." Alissa snapped with a very Chris-like roll of her chocolate brown eyes.

"A break? No amount of therapy or 'restful' relaxation could fix that screw-up. Believe me, Mum, Dad, the Aunts have tried. Chris is just..."

"Chris." Logan finished. "And weren't you just saying you don't care anymore?"

XXxxXXxxXX CHRIS XXxxXXxxXX

(ORIGINAL FUTURE: 24/10/2020).

Sitting up with a grace and agility he hadn't thought possible, Chris moved to throw up what little was in his stomach on the dead bodies he'd been immersed in.

There was no way to describe the disgust he felt at that very moment. No words to describe how the pain his body was in seemed to retreat at the very thought of the twenty or thirty innocent's bodies he'd previously been dumped with.

Someone obviously hadn't realised who he was or that fact that he was very much alive. It never even occurred to him that he may have in actual fact died alongside them.

Crawling to the side with much difficulty, Chris scrambled to his tired and aching feet. The difficulty came from the need to vomit with every movement, every touch of a person's cold, dead, grey looking skin.

Their sightless eyes boring into his own haunted silver ones with such vacancy it made him feel more than guilty for being here, alive, when they were so irrevocably gone from the world in ways so formidable no-one in their right minds would ever believe possible.

'If anyone cared anymore that was. What the hell has Wyatt done to the world?'

XXxxXXxxXX PIPER XXxxXXxxXX

"Christopher Pearce! I am your Mother and I think after everything you've put me through I should know what's best for you."

"Should being the operative word. Don't is more like it. I don't like this house. I was with Phoebe and Paige. Just like you wanted." Chris suddenly stated, confusing his Mother and everyone else listening in.

"I don't want to follow my destiny. I don't want to be constantly pampered and told it's all gonna be ok. Well you know what? I am not ok Me're. I'm not going to be and this -" he waved vaguely around the living room where, to him, the mutilated corpses of his Aunts and Uncles were -"this is not ok. I can't do this anymore."

XXxxXXxxXX CHRIS XXxxXXxxXX

(ORIGINAL FUTURE: 24/10/2020).

Chris opened his eyes again after several minutes to realise that the smell which made him feel as though he'd never eat or drink anything ever again was every bit as real as the dozens of decaying bodies beside him.

He doubled over to struggle to control his breathing and used every spell he could think of to heal the extensive damage that had been caused to his body. Some he even supposed a Whitelighter wouldn't be able to heal.

After he'd taken the last of his potions, he set off to find where he was. He'd already realised there was no way to Orb out and his psychic senses had been blocked up something. Although the fact that he'd obviously been taking his potions did provide some comfort. Some, but not much.

Guilt still ate away at his heart and nothing was ever going to change that.

He took one more unwilling look at the mass of disfigured and dismantled bodies behind him before setting off in a direction he hoped would take him somewhere. Anywhere.

XXxxXXxxXX PIPER XXxxXXxxXX

Moving forwards in an attempt to comfort her erratic son, Piper reached out a hand only to be shunned. "Chris."

"No. No Mum, it wasn't. Don't you get it yet? I dream about the fucking end of the world every - single - night! " She heard her son suddenly scream, staggering backwards and breathing heavily as he retreated further up the stairs; as if he really was stumbling through the devastating sight of hundreds of innocents' body's.

"Christopher Pear -" Piper began, immediately flicking her wrist as she remembered the small crowd of teenagers most likely listening into the whole conversation.

'Actually, I'd stake P3 or Charmed on it. This is a big enough mess as it is without Chris having to deal with all their questions and accusations.'

XXxxXXxxXX CHRIS XXxxXXxxXX

(ORIGINAL FUTURE: 24/10/2020).

Somewhere? He didn't really care where, as long as it was the furthest place away from the makeshift graveyard he'd awoken in.

The place that would be burnt into his memory forever as stealing what little innocence (and granted it was very little) away from him.

The place that made him question if there was anything right in the world anymore. If there was anyone else who could possibly understand how he felt at that time.

'Is there even a way to describe how I feel? How in the hell has everything come to this?'

XXxxXXxxXX PIPER XXxxXXxxXX

"I think seeing and knowing you're the cause of your Mother's death entitles me to use stronger words than oh golly gosh or darn it! That was my last shirt too and the naughty Demons gooed all over it."

If she hadn't been so anxious and concerned, Piper would've laughed at the statement. As it was the glazed silver eyes staring around the living room as if seeing something no-one else could was enough to stifle all amused thoughts. It was almost as though Chris was searching for something to take him somewhere. Anywhere.

XXxxXXxxXX CHRIS XXxxXXxxXX

(ORIGINAL FUTURE: 25/10/2020).

He'd been so busy tormenting himself further about the situation he found himself in and pushing his already broken body to it's very limit, that he hadn't even noticed the hundreds of other decaying bodies lying in haphazard piles around him.

That was until he fell over someone's leg. Their leg!

He looked around further and noticed he appeared to be in some kind of dumb yard which was filled entirely with innocent's and Witch's alike and offered no form of respect for their memories.

He took a few more paces before coming to the rest of the person he'd fallen over.

He breath caught in his chest as a cold, metal-like hand closed around his heart.

He couldn't breathe.

Couldn't move.

Couldn't do a damn thing.

He was frozen.

Frozen in grief and horror at the sight before him.

There, lying dead on the ground was the broken and battered body of a thirteen-year-old girl. The same age as his cousin Penelope had been.

'It could've been her.' He thought grimly, then remember it had been.

Penelope had been with her Mother, Phoebe, and their Aunts the night when they'd been slaughtered.

Starting with their family's slaughtered throughout the Manor and following to Magic School where Chris was met with the sight of hundreds, upon hundreds of bodies.

'Bianca being the last. I'm going straight to hell. God help me. This is all my fault.'

XXxxXXxxXX PIPER XXxxXXxxXX

"It was never your fault baby. Your other parents and I would gladly do it again." Piper expressed in a soothing voice, not all realising it was the very last thing she should've said. 'Give me a break here people. I'm hunting Demons in the dark here.'

"Why?! Why is everyone so damn content to die for me?" The Elder-Witch questioned, eyes by-passing crystal blue and lightening to a disturbing silver.

"We love you peanut. We're only trying to protect you and your future is much more important than ours." Piper attempted to soothe, having to look from her son's silver eyes as pain coursed through her body. 'What the hell was that?'

"And that makes me feel a whole lot better about it too. I mean, it's all right for you. You're dead, but what about me? Huh Me're?" Chris questioned, retreating further up the staircase so there was a good three metres between them.

"Me're? " She pondered, having not heard that since 'future' Chris called her that.

'That was sixteen years ago...Omigod! This cannot be happening. No. It can't...I won't...Oh god. It already has...My baby boy...and I...we...had no idea. What kind of a Mother am I?'

XXxxXXxxXX CHRIS XXxxXXxxXX

"Prudence will be following in your footsteps very shortly. You're much to powerful for your own good Christopher. I'm sorry but this is in every-one's best interests."

"Just like Papa, Maman and everyone else. I can't handle the guilt anymore. I can't deal with all this grief anymore. You all go and leave me alone."

"You're never alone honey. Don't ever think that."

"Oh, so you're watching over me then? Looking out for me to make sure everything is a-ok. Well guess what? It's not. I am not o - k."

"Just talk to me honey. For once Chris, just tell me what's wrong." Piper pleaded, tears running down her face.

"Why? No. How? I mean, you're not exactly around to talk to. Neither is anyone else anymore for that matter and just so we're clear Maman is just as much my Mother as you are. I had her first after all."

"Tell me how you feel honey. Please help me understand what's wrong."

"How do you expect me to feel? Am I just supposed to 'suck it up'? Put on some masquerade and act like everyone sacrificing themselves for me is the goddamn best thing that could ever happen?" Chris continued as if Piper had never answered.

"Make out as though Wyatt hunting me down every chance he gets is nothing more than a little sibling rivalry? I killed you. What don't you get about that? I burnt you at the goddamn stake! Why the hell are you smothering...me? "

XXxxXXxxXX PIPER XXxxXXxxXX

Hurt and helplessness crossing her face, Piper took several hasty breaths and forced herself to calm down before Chris really did go off the deap end.

'Even more so than he already has.'

"Is there any way to describe how I feel?" She heard the Elder-Witch mutter quietly, still massaging his temples. "How in the hell has everything come to this?"

"That never happened peanut. You were never responsible." Piper answered, before noticing the subtle change in her son's demeanour, not to mention the dazed look which crossed brilliant jade eyes.

"Christopher? Are you all right honey?"

"Make it stop." The Elder-Witch suddenly pleaded, grasping his Mother with pained etched into every one of his handsome features. "Make them stop! "

"Chris? Christopher! " Piper tried, moving forwards to face her distraught youngest son. She didn't need the defeated posture, haunting silver eyes or the dazed look crusading his face to realise something was really, really wrong.

XXxxXXxxXX CHRIS XXxxXXxxXX

"No...'urts..you can't...make it stop..."

"Make it stop? I can't do that. This is for the Greater Good. We don't want another Wyatt on our hands now, do we?"

Chris' eyes widened fearfully as his scarlet and gold shield failed, the Silver Phoenix flying for the prehaps the last time. He never even realised until too late...

A sickening, bloodcurdling scream penetrated the walls of Halliwell Manor as the lengthy scar stretching across Chris' damaged back split open anew. The same pain coursing through his body as fresh blood seeped through the already crimson soaked sheets wrapped around him.

The stranger was now standing over him.

He couldn't fight any longer.

His magic was going, leaving him defenceless.

He wanted his Tue, or mummy.

Elizabeth would never come. She'd come for the last time.

The bloody blade sliced painfully though his wrist, driving forcefully through the very bone and working it's curse into his blood as a reminder to the Elder-Witch.

"You should never have been born Christopher. Your brother's existence is bad enough, but yours? A three-year-old with the power to send the world into an apocalypse is truly frightening."

"No...no...you won't...you can't...Tue..." Chris murmured, struggling in his straightjacket of a shirt as Telekinetic and long forgotten Fire powers wreaked havoc on what had been the main living area of the Manor.

Glass shattered.

Furniture, along with the curtains and furniture erupted in white hot flames.

Broken objects flew around the large now burning bedroom on paths set for destruction.

Screams of shock and fear could be heard as occupants unfroze all over the Manor.

And the Elder-Witch continued to bleed as though truly reliving the memory he never wanted to see again.

XXxxXXxxXX PIPER XXxxXXxxXX

"Um...so don't...god help me..." The Elder-Witch mumbled, trailing off as he collapsed backwards down the staircase, falling to the bottom as lifeless and limp as a rag doll.

"Chris! " Piper cried, rushing forwards as she Froze everyone else in the Manor.

"WYATT!!"


End file.
